The poster, in particular, is accompanied by the CEI with these words: “Dear young people, our hope is Jesus […] Let us remain united to him, let us remain in his friendship always, nurturing it through prayer, adoration, Holy Communion, frequent Confession, and generous charity […]. Aim for great things, for holiness, wherever you are. Do not settle for less. Then you will see the light of the Gospel grow every day, within you and around you’ (Leo XIV, Homily, Tor Vergata, 3 August 2025). In their disarming simplicity and clarity, the words of Pope Leo XIV suggest a clear vocational proposal. The desire to find meaning in life and the passion to make the world a better place are themes that resonate with particular intensity in the hearts and words of so many young people and others. This is what we must address’.
Faces and stories of Salesian holiness
Of the 20 figures featured on the poster, six are Salesians or associated with the Salesian world. They are: The CEI’s choice is a significant one, which once again makes many figures linked to Don Bosco guides and companions for young people on their journey towards an encounter with the Lord Jesus and his Church, on the path to the fullness of joy, in the spirit of self-giving.
- Bishop Giuseppe Cognata (Servant of God), Bishop of Bova and later Titular Bishop of Farsalo, founder of the Salesian Oblates of the Sacred Heart (SOSC);
- Giulia Colbert in Falletti di Barolo (Venerable), wife of the Venerable Carlo Tancredi Falletti di Barolo and linked to the early days of Don Bosco, founder of the Institute of the Penitent Sisters of Saint Mary Magdalene (now the Daughters of Jesus the Good Shepherd), alongside the Sisters of Saint Anne founded by her husband;
- Fr Giuseppe Quadrio (Venerable), an unforgettable Salesian who made high-level academic teaching a true mission and a model of Salesian kindness;
- Fr Felice Canelli (Venerable), priest of the Diocese of San Severo in Puglia, Salesian Cooperator, who infused his homeland with the spirit of Don Bosco, to the benefit of so many poor and vulnerable people;
- Vera Grita (Servant of God), a laywoman and Salesian Cooperator, spokesperson within the Church for the Work of the Living Tabernacles;
- Attilio Giordani (Venerable), a family man, Salesian Cooperator, and lay missionary in Brazil during the final years of his life, to better understand an experience that involved his children and to devote himself even more to others.
This is a significant choice, which once again makes many figures linked to Don Bosco guides and companions of young people to the encounter with the Lord Jesus and his Church, on the path towards the fullness of joy, in the logic of self-giving.
